Introduction of “ghetto” Not Authorized in Warsaw Secondary Schools

November 8, 1937

WARSAW (Nov. 7)

THE WARSAW BOARD OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS HAS NOT AUTHORIZED INTRODUCTION OF “GHETTO BENCHES” FOR JEWS, THE BOARD SAID TODAY IN A DECLARATION IN CONNECTION WITH REPORTS IN NATIONALIST NEWSPAPERS THAT SEGREGATION OF JEWS WOULD BE EXTENDED FROM WARSAW COLLEGES TO SECONDARY SCHOOLS.

THE RECTOR OF THE TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL AT POZNAN INTRODUCED A “GHETTO” FOR JEWS ALTHOUGH THERE ARE ONLY A FEW JEWISH STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOL. THE JEWS DECIDED TO FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF THEIR COMPATRIOTS IN WARSAW AND STAND DURING LECTURES RATHER THAN OCCUPY THE SEGREGATED SEATS.

THE RECTOR OF WILNO UNIVERSITY TOLD A DELEGATION OF JEWISH STUDENTS HE OPPOSED INTRODUCTION OF A “GHETTO” ON MORAL GROUNDS AND WOULD RESIGN IF LEFT NO OTHER ALTERNATIVE. HE SAID PRESSURE HAD BEEN EXERCISED FROM VARIOUS QUARTERS FOR SEGREGATING JEWS. THE DELEGATION CALLED ON HIM TO ASK ASSURANCE THAT “GHETTO BENCHES” WOULD NOT BE INTRODUCED THERE.

NATIONALIST AND JEWISH STUDENTS OF LWOW UNIVERSITY, WHERE RIOTS HAVE CLIMAXED NATIONALIST DEMANDS FOR SEGREGATION OF JEWS, WERE ASSIGNED BENCHES AT OPPOSITE SIDES OF CLASSROOMS IN A COMPROMISE SOLUTION OF THE CONFLICT BY RECTOR KULCZYNSKI. NEUTRAL STUDENTS WERE GIVEN THE CHOICE, UNDER THE COMPROMISE, OF SITTING WITH THE NATIONALISTS, THE JEWS, OR BY THEMSELVES BETWEEN THE TWO CONFLICTING GROUPS.

DISORDERS OCCURRED IN THE TOWNSHIP OF RAWA IN THE WARSAW DISTRICT WHEN 50 MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL RADICAL PARTY STATIONED PICKETS BEFORE JEWISH SHOPS DURING MARKETING, ATTACKED A NUMBER OF POLES FOR BUYING FROM JEWS AND TURNED OVER JEWS’ STALLS, DESTROYING QUANTITY OF GOODS. POLISH WORKERS ARRIVED IN THE MARKET, DRIVING OUT THE NARAS. POLICE ARRESTED A NUMBER OF PICKETS.